I’ve been absent because I’ve been busy. With the end of summer comes weekend trips, weddings, Fashion Week, and MIPCOM. I am also thrilled to announce that Videofashion Daily has made its debut on Hulu – and, trust me, that deal was not an easy close. Negotiating, orchestrating, and navigating through the rough waters of change is one of the small victories in my career thus far. As such, my hands have been full.

But if you want to see what the hard-working ladies of the Videofashion editorial team have been working on (and I will soon be selling), check our Fashion Week videos out online!

Last Thursday, I spotmarked for Videofashion at the Erin Wasson x RVCA show during New York Fashion Week. The runway was constructed of oriental rugs laid out around seating areas filled with antique-looking chairs and chaises and gigantic mountains of stacked rugs at ABC Carpet and Home on Broadway and 19th. The venue was gorgeous, filled with chandeliers and expensive furniture, and very original.

I got to the show two hours before the supposed start time of 8 pm to mark out and guard the spot for the cameras until the crew arrived from the Olivier Theyskens book signing. For those two hours, I was entertained by the synthpoppy wailings and catchy beats from the Brooklyn band Yeasayers. Imagine Owl City plus Vampire Weekend with drawn-out vocals, or as they say on their MySpace page, “Enya with BOUNCE.” (I really don’t know what that means.)

Erin Wasson supporters showed in full force: a pantsless Ke$ha was accompanied by a protective Joe Zee, Jared Leto looked awfully warm in a skull knit winter hat, French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld’s son Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld appeared coolly disinterested, but not bored (how does he do that?), and Margherita Missoni (I totally missed her) was adorable in a fedora and vintage-y floral dress. To be frank, I’m terrible at picking out famous people so I count on the swarms of photogs to guide my eye, and even then I usually fail to identify the subject.

The show started an hour late at 9 pm and lasted for 15 minutes or so, possibly less. Good thing there was champagne and a live band. 22 “Alabaster”-themed looks hit the runway, but like Style.com, I found the clothes themselves to be the least interesting part of the event. Erin Wasson as the anti-supermodel-turned-designer is enviably cool. The makeup was prettily quirky (one feathered eyebrow), but the crimped and braided prairie girl hair looked like it came straight out of the Urban Outfitters catalog, and the clothes looked like stuff I can already buy at UO. Don’t get me wrong: I love UO. But if Erin Wasson wants her collection to sell for 3 times the price of the pieces at UO, the clothes better look like they’re worth it, and apart from a glam jacket or two, they didn’t. See the full collection here.

It’s officially the first day of New York Fashion Week but the untimely death of British design icon Alexander McQueen has cast a dark shadow over the usual festivities and brouhaha. McQueen, 40, was found dead in his home this morning after having hung himself. Three days after the death of his mother, and three years after the suicide of his friend and mentor Isabella Blow, McQueen succumbed to his own inner demons.

This is a man whose designs are known the world-over as showstoppers, a man who was universally respected for his talent, inventiveness, showmanship, and ingenuity in fashion. (I am especially sad for the Puma and Alexander McQueen collaborations that will be no more. At least I’ll always have his London Biker sneakers.)

What are your favorite McQueen looks? The man knows how to make an impression, that’s for sure. Thandie Newton’s dress at the 1998 BAFTAs (gorgeous!) and the ring of fire (not so much for the outfit as for the theatrics) are up there in terms of memorable McQueen moments for me.

If you can find it, you should watch the two-part Designer Marathon programs (48 minutes each) on McQueen by Videofashion. Click through for McQueen in his own words, as told to the producers of Videofashion.

Can’t say I love the cheetah-print mules or the backless knee-high socks at Alexander Wang, but I do like the flouncy patterned shorts and long vests. Love the x ankle strap shoes and pattern mixing at Jason Wu.

Watch the Spring/Summer 2010 collections as they are presented in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. This week on NYC TV Ch. 25, watch Videofashion Daily from Sunday, September 13 to Thursday, September 17 at 11 pm. On Friday, September 18, watch at 10 pm and on Saturday, September 19, watch at midnight (so I guess that’s technically Sunday).

Videofashion Network has announced that Tommy Hilfiger, Betsey Johnson, Kimora Lee Simmons, Veronica Webb, Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Carolina Herrera, Jr., will serve as hosts-of-the-day on Videofashion Daily duringMercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Tommy, Betsey, Kimora, Veronica, Kelly and Carolina, along with our previously announced roster of fashion insiders, will introduce Videofashion Daily’s in-depth coverage during fashion’s most exciting week! NYC TV viewers will enjoy full coverage of the New York Spring/Summer 2010 designer collections on Videofashion Daily, which will premiere on NYC TV Sunday, September 13 through Thursday, September 17 at 11 pm and will air on Friday, September 18 at 10 pm and Saturday, September 19 at midnight with total New York Fashion Week coverage.

“Videofashion is delighted to announce these talented additions to our host-of-the-day lineup. We know they will be tremendous assets to our coverage during New York Fashion Week and will make Videofashion Daily truly special this season,” says Marlene Cardin, Videofashion President and CEO.

Every once in a while, you read something on the Internet that is so exceptionally well-written that you cannot help but take notice. Re-read. Send. Tweet. Facebook. Whatever. It might not change your life, but for a moment, it makes you think and reevaluate the way you feel about something.

I felt that way today when I read Jenna Sauers’ big reveal on Jezebel.com. She is the no-longer-anonymous contributor Tatiana the Anonymous Model.

Models, with their perfect faces and flawless physiques, hold a certain allure in the hearts and eyes of many. What is life like when you’re really, really, ridiculously, good-looking? (Thank you, Derek Zoolander.) Like other non-models, I have told myself that I’m sure there isn’t much more to these gorgeous women than their looks, more out of resentment and petty jealousy than from any factual evidence. (I suppose watching the nitwit wannabes on America’s Next Top Model does not qualify as factual evidence; after all, Tyra has built a sizable business empire and Paulina Porizkova can speak six languages). Mean and little of me though it might be, and mostly on days when I’m feeling crappy about myself and the rest of the world, I’d see a model and think bitterly, “She’s pretty, but she’s got sh*t for brains. God giveth not with both hands, b*tches!” Continue reading →